By Brian Harmon, Shelbyville News staff writer
8/13/2008
The Shelbyville girls' golf team lost two of its top players, as well as the head coach. With Kenzi Turner still around, however, there's plenty of hope for the Golden Bears this season.
Turner capped a strong freshman season last year by almost single-handedly lifting the Golden Bears to a second-place sectional finish and their first regional appearance since 2000.
Sarah Wheeler, who went on to advance out of the regional to the state finals, and fellow senior Melanie Clark had uncharacteristically high scores at Old Oakland Golf Course in Indianapolis during sectional action, and the Golden Bears' chances of advancing were diminishing as the day went on.
That is, until head coach Dave Hunton approached Turner on the back nine and apprised her of the situation.
"The coaches kept coming up and saying, 'You need to do good, so we can advance.' He said. 'Sarah and Melanie are struggling. It's all up to you,'" Turner recalled Wednesday at Bear Chase Golf Course.
"I knew what I was doing. I knew what I had to do."
Turner parred the final seven holes for a back-nine 40 and total score of 87 - the second-best score of the day - to help Shelbyville lock in a top three finish and a spot in the regional.
Through the Golden Bears' first two meets of the 2008 season, Turner has picked up right where she left off, with scores of 85 and 80. Her 80 at the Roncalli Invitational Wednesday was good for eighth place out of 80 players.
With Wheeler and Clark gone, however, Shelbyville lacks depth, and no golfer besides Turner has broken 100 so far.
New head coach Mark Kaiser has taken over for Dave Hunton, who decided to take a break after 14 years at the helm. (Hunton will continue to coach the boys' golf team in the spring).
Kaiser said Turner fits in well with the young squad.
"We're a little on the inexperienced end. Kenzi sets a high standard for the other players. I think the other girls know she's the top player on the team. It's pretty obvious by the scores," Kaiser said. "She's leading by example.
"She's not real vocal, as far as the leadership. That's where I'm relying on Madisen (Basey) and Jenna (Hebbe). They've been through it and can be vocal when they need to be."
Team captains Basey, a senior, and Hebbe, a junior, have varsity experience and, along with Turner, they top this year's lineup. Sophomores Lauren Johnson, Brooke Perry and Jordan Achenbach and freshman Shawna Phelps are battling for the final two varsity positions.
Kaiser, the boys' assistant coach the last five years, has a simple goal for his young charges.
"I just want to see steady improvement from the beginning of the year to the end," he said. "Obviously, we want to do well in our tournaments and our dual matches. The overall goal at the end of the year is to do well in the sectional and try to get out as a team.
"If we can't advance, then we would try to get a couple of individuals out and just see how far we can go."
Southwestern searching
Both of Shelby County's girls' golf teams have new coaches this season. Gary Muldoon has replaced Brad Guidi at Southwestern.
Muldoon, a 1973 Southwestern graduate and avid recreational golfer, takes over more of a golf "duo" than a "team."
So far, only two players have joined the Spartans on the links.
"We've got a bit of a numbers problem," said Muldoon, who is also the boys' basketball assistant coach. "Hopefully, when school starts we'll be able to get some more girls to come out."
Annie Bowers, a senior, and Hayley Pierson, a junior, form the Southwestern contingent.
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IHSAA - GIRLS GOLF
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